Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /media/www/hollywood/Web/releases/20150325105258/vendor/doctrine/common/lib/Doctrine/Common/Annotations/FileCacheReader.php on line 202
Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /media/www/hollywood/Web/releases/20150325105258/vendor/doctrine/common/lib/Doctrine/Common/Annotations/FileCacheReader.php on line 202
Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /media/www/hollywood/Web/releases/20150325105258/vendor/doctrine/common/lib/Doctrine/Common/Annotations/FileCacheReader.php on line 202
Review: 'The Legend of Hercules' Has No Brains Whatsoever (But Man, Those Shoulders!)

Summit via Everett Collection
You can imagine that Renny Harlin, director and one quadrant of the writing team for The Legend of Hercules, began his pitch as such: We'll start with a war, because lots of these things start with wars. It feels like this was the principal maxim behind a good deal of the creative choices in this latest update of the Ancient Greek myth. There are always horse riding scenes. There are generally arena battles. There are CGI lions, when you can afford 'em. Oh, and you've got to have a romantic couple canoodling at the base of a waterfall. Weaving them all together cohesively would be a waste of time — just let the common threads take form in a remarkably shouldered Kellan Lutz and action sequences that transubstantiate abjectly to and fro slow-motion.
But pervading through Lutz's shirtless smirks and accent continuity that calls envy from Johnny Depp's Alice in Wonderland performance is the obtrusive lack of thought that went into this picture. A proverbial grab bag of "the basics" of the classic epic genre, The Legend of Hercules boasts familiarity over originality. So much so that the filmmakers didn't stop at Hercules mythology... they barely started with it, in fact. There's more Jesus Christ in the character than there is the Ancient Greek demigod, with no lack of Gladiator to keep things moreover relevant. But even more outrageous than the void of imagination in the construct of Hercules' world is its script — a piece so comically dim, thin, and idiotic that you will laugh. So we can't exactly say this is a totally joyless time at the movies.
Summit via Everett Collection
Surrounding Hercules, a character whose arc takes him from being a nice enough strong dude to a nice enough strong dude who kills people and finally owns up to his fate — "Okay, fine, yes, I guess I'm a god" — are a legion of characters whose makeup and motivations are instituted in their opening scenes and never change thereafter. His de facto stepdad, the teeth-baring King Amphitryon (Scott Adkins), despises the boy for being a living tribute to his supernatural cuckolding; his half-brother Iphicles (Liam Garrigan) is the archetypical scheming, neutered, jealous brother figure right down to the facial scar. The dialogue this family of mongoloids tosses around is stunningly brainless, ditto their character beats. Hercules can't understand how a mystical stranger knows his identity, even though he just moments ago exited a packed coliseum chanting his name. Iphicles defies villainy and menace when he threatens his betrothed Hebe (Gaia Weiss), long in love with Hercules, with the terrible fate of "accepting [him] and loving [their] children equally!" And the dad... jeez, that guy must really be proud of his teeth.
With no artistic feat successfully accomplished (or even braved, really) by this movie, we can at the very least call it inoffensive. There is nothing in The Legend of Hercules with which to take issue beyond its dismal intellect, and in a genre especially prone to regressive activity, this is a noteworthy triumph. But you might not have enough energy by the end to award The Legend of Hercules with this superlative. Either because you'll have laughed yourself into a coma at the film's idiocy, or because you'll have lost all strength trying to fend it off.
1/5
Follow @Michael Arbeiter
//
| Follow @Hollywood_com
//

Country music star Randy Travis has been hospitalised in Texas with a heart ailment. The 54-year-old singer was admitted on Sunday (07Jul13) and is currently in critical condition, his spokesperson tells TheWrap.com.
The Honky Tonk Moon hitmaker is suffering from complications stemming from recently diagnosed viral cardiomyopathy, a heart condition caused by an infection.
The news comes almost a year after Travis was taken into custody under suspicion of driving while intoxicated, obstruction and retaliation after crashing his truck in August, 2012, and then allegedly verbally threatened officers who arrived at the scene.
Travis, who was naked at the time of the incident, pleaded guilty to one count of DWI in January (13) and was sentenced to two years probation and ordered to pay a fine, serve 30 days in an alcohol treatment facility and perform 100 hours of community service.

Embattled country star Randy Travis has filed a lawsuit against two state agencies in Texas to prevent footage from his August (12) arrest from going public. The singer was taken into custody under suspicion of driving while intoxicated, obstruction and retaliation on 7 August (12), after crashing his truck in Tioga and then allegedly verbally threatening officers who arrived at the scene.
Travis, who was naked at the time of the incident, pleaded guilty to one count of DWI in January (13) and was sentenced to two years probation and ordered to pay a fine, serve 30 days in an alcohol treatment facility and perform 100 hours of community service.
Now he has taken legal action against Department of Public Safety and Office of the Attorney General chiefs in a bid to keep patrol car video and other evidence about the case under wraps after media groups requested the footage under the Public Information Act.
The 54 year old filed papers on Tuesday (14May13), seeking $100,000 (GBP64,516) and a judgement barring both departments from honouring the request, according to local publication the Austin America-Statesman.

Fallen producer Scott Storch has locked himself away in the studio to focus on his music comeback after overcoming a serious drug problem. The hip-hop hitmaker famously blew his $30 million (£18.75 million) fortune on drugs, girls and flash cars, but his party lifestyle came to an abrupt halt in 2009 when he realised he'd burned through all of his money.
He filed for bankruptcy that year (09) and checked into a rehabilitation facility in Florida in a bid to beat his substance abuse issues, and now Storch claims he's clean and sober and ready to rebuild his reputation.
The beatmaker, who previously collaborated with stars including 50 Cent, Beyonce and Pink, admits his love for music has been reignited once more and he's keeping himself out of trouble by throwing himself into his work.
He tells AllHipHop.com, "I think I'm finally falling in love with music again. I lost the passion for a while... due to public personal issues and stuff I went through...
"As time goes by, the clarity I'm gaining everyday, I feel like my music is getting better. More vivid and just effortless... I'm really focused in the studio, doing more production than ever. I'm like a studio junkie now...
"I'm doing just fine. I'm living a healthy life... I just (sic) been very secluded in the past few months and just in the studio focusing on that... I didn't forget how to make hits... I do this... I'm inspired and hungry. I got a big appetite for success right now."
Storch also reveals he's been considering a new career as a DJ to subsidise his income and raise the profile of his new music: "The DJ is really making some serious paper (money) and it's a good venue (clubs) to solicit your own records. I'm trying to do something a little different, similar to the way Travis Barker and DJ AM did."

When Cougar Town was booted from ABC and moved to basic cable, we wept. When the sitcom bade farewell to showrunners Bill Lawrence and Kevin Biegel, we sobbed. And when we realized that it would be up against Robot Combat League, we bawled openly. But our fair underdog has proven itself resilient: Cougar Town has cranked out a gem of a fourth season, and is now officially slated to give us a fifth!
RELATED: 'Community' Is Doing a Puppet Episode — Will It Work?
TBS has announced that the Courteney Cox-com will officially be returning for a Season 5, set to air in 2014. The series, which focuses on the daily expositions of hedonism from divorced real estate agent Jules Cobb (Cox) and her friends and family members in her Florida residence, is presently gearing up to close its fourth season, which will broadcast its finale on Apr. 9.
RELATED: Debra Messing Graces CBS with Comedy Pilot
In Season 4, we've seen Jules adjust to her second marriage to bartender and neighbor Grayson (Josh Hopkins), and Jules' son Travis earn the affection of his longtime unrequited love Laurie (Busy Phillips). Season 5 can only expand the Cougar Town universe, introducing more storylines for the likes of stars Christa Miller, Ian Gomez, and scene-stealer Brian Van Holt.
Follow Michael Arbeiter on Twitter @MichaelArbeiter
[Photo Credit: TBS]
You Might Also Like:Topanga's Revealing Lingerie Shoot: Hello '90s! 25 Stars Before They Were Famous

What Open Water did for scuba diving with your spouse, Scenic Route should do for road trips in the desert with your best friend. Directors/siblings Kevin Goetz and Michael Goetz have made for one of the most intense, effective movie-going experiences of SXSW... and it's only day two.
RELATED: 'Evil Dead' Takes SXSW On a Grisly, Gory Ride
The premise is simple: two best friends Mitchell and Carter (Josh Duhamel and Dan Fogler, respectively) hit the road to catch up for old times sake. The two have drifted, as adults tend to do, with Mitchell in a stable, if not passion-free marriage and career, and Carter as the aimless slacker. On paper it seems like Duhamel and Fogler are simply playing into their usual archetypes, he the handsome leading man and he the wacky sidekick, but Scenic Road turns it on its head and lets the actors beat the ever-living s**t out of them. Literally.
In fact, that's exactly how Scenic Route begins. We see two men, one of whom is sporting a Travis Bickle-esque mohawk (Duhamel, in what marks his most daring, impressive performance to date), in the middle of the desert, bloodied and bruised, fighting as dirty as the tattered clothes they are wearing. We haven't yet learned that these two are lifelong friends who have let unkind words and the unforgiving elements get to them. One of them takes a crutch to the other one's temple and everything goes dark. Only, that's not the beginning of the story, or the end for that matter.
The movie starts, innocently enough, as almost a buddy road trip comedy, but it descends into something else entirely. It is part-jet black comedy, part-horror film, part-moral drama, part-human study, and completely and utterly f**ked up. When we meet Mitchell and Carter moments after that shocking opening sequence, they look completely fine. Even more confusing, Mitchell doesn't have a mohawk. So how do they get there exactly?
After Carter makes his old truck they're driving through the desert in break down intentionally to spend more quality time with Mitchell, the two not only have to battle the elements (with no food and no water in the desert, which is as unrelenting in the day as it is the night), but each other. With nowhere to go and increasingly mounting tension, the two friends begin to unravel on each other, saying things they can't quite take back.
RELATED: SXSW 2013: Our 5 Must-See Movies
High emotions, mixed with the delirium of being stranded in the vast desert — who knew wide open spaces could feel so claustrophobic? It sends the men into a tailspin, not only leading to that ill-advised mohawk (the free-spirited Carter somehow convinces the straight-laced Mitchell to get the haircut he always wanted... in the middle of the night, with a blade from a pocket knife) and eventually that vicious, violent fight.
What happens next, well, I don't want to spoil it for you. But whatever you think happens to these guys after their blood, sweat, and tear-soaked fight doesn't. The last 40 minutes of the movie, fittingly enough, takes a much different road than you thought it would. Somewhere at the intersection of 127 Hours and Buried, you might think you have finally figured out Scenic Route's path, but then it takes its own winding, twisted detour.
While there are some frustratingly distracting moments (including Carter's inane decision to turn down help when they first break down), the dialogue-heavy feature, which spends most of its running time on the side of a dirt road in the desert, never loses your attention. You hang on these men's every action, every word uttered, determined to find out if they make it out of this journey unscathed. Well, relatively speaking.
RELATED: The 2013 SXSW Film Lineup
A veritable case study in grown men, and their relationships with each other (a few visions of Fight Club danced through my head), Scenic Route will make you no less scared of what nature will do to you as compared to what the ones you love are capable of doing to you. Scenic Route is a movie that crawls under your skin and stays there for a while, thanks largely in part to its haunting ending.
Follow Aly on Twitter @AlySemigran
From Our Partners:Kim Kardashians Best Bikini Moments (PHOTOS) Brooke Mueller Overdose? Rep Speaks About New Drama For Charlie Sheen’s Ex

This is it. Way back in May, the day after American Idol ended, when we first met all of these hopefuls, we knew it would come down to this night: The Season 9 performance finale.
And here we are, with four left standing – Cyrus, Chehon, Eliana and Tiffany – and for once, they’re dancing for your votes. Live. This week’s performance correlates directly to next week’s results, for the first time all season.
No pressure or anything. But something told me these four were up for it, especially after the way they all gave it everything last week. They all danced like they really, really wanted it, and at this point, it’s anyone’s game.
Next week’s finale-finale will reveal two winners – a girl and a guy – who will hold the title of America’s Favorite Dancer(s) for the next nine or so months until the cycle begins again.
Joining Nigel and Mary on the judging panel for the performance finale was Rob Marshall (I was hoping for a Ben Millepied repeat, but alas, no dice). First up was an interesting spectacle: Cyrus doing the paso doble. With Eliana. Oh, boy. I was actually thinking earlier this week about the fact that Cyrus hasn’t really been given any challenging styles this season, so the producers really pulled out all the stops for Tuesday’s show.
Both Cyrus and Eliana were clad in red and black, and Cyrus was supposed to be dressed like a matador, but he really just looked like he was wearing a tube dress that he couldn’t pull up all the way. As usual, Eliana was excellent and she carried her partner by attracting all of the attention to herself, thereby masking the fact that Cyrus didn’t really have to do anything except lift her, spin her and wave his arms every once in a while.
At one point mid-routine, he actually attempted some kind of weird cartwheel that truly looked like that scene in Dumb and Dumber when Jim Carrey is getting ready to fight the cook at the restaurant.
Nigel told Eliana she has a magical combination of performance and technique. Instead of critiquing Cyrus, Nigel chose to remind all of us that Cyrus didn’t ever believe he could become a part of this show, that he could make it into the finale, that he could ever escape his apartment with 400 roommates, etc. Blah, blah, blah. Mary actually one-upped Nigel by using the word “conquered” to describe what Cyrus did to the paso doble.
Tiffany has been making huge strides over the last few weeks, but could she continue it in the finale? Hopefully. Her first performance of the night, with all-star Will’s help, once again showed off all of her strengths, of which she has many: Her lines are so clean, her extension is always so perfect (pay attention, Cyrus), and she has the ideal combination of technical skill and character. Plus, she’s so, so versatile—not that Eliana isn’t, but I’m always so impressed with how perfect Tiffany is, no matter what style they saddle her with.
Mary told Tiffany that she is the epitome of a fabulous dancer and a great partner. Rob complimented Sonya for her choreography. Nigel said Tiffany’s lines and stage presence were so strong that they hid the fact that she’s so tiny.
After a quick break, Eliana got right back onstage—this time, with Chehon, for a ballet number. Could there be anything more perfect for these two? What a great partnership. They’re both such excellent classical dancers that even before this started, you knew it was going to be one of the best performances of the season.
It really was magical: There was Nutcracker choreography, and there was a pink tutu for Eliana and a white baptism costume for Chehon, and there was one spectacular lift in the middle of the routine that was so perfectly timed to the track that the entire audience burst out into cheers. It was like the ending of Black Swan times a million. If the producers let Chehon dance like this all season (kind of how they let Cyrus do hip-hop all season), he’d be a shoo-in for the victory. Maybe this will get him there.
Obviously, this got a standing ovation from the panel. Rob couldn’t believe Chehon’s versatility, and he said Eliana’s extension was breathtaking. Nigel also raved about the difficulty level of this routine and said that Chehon made the lifts look easy. Mary said that Chehon and Eliana are a triumph for the show.
Next, it was time for Tiffany and Cyrus to pair up. Would Tiffany be able to mask Cyrus’ shortcomings as expertly as Eliana? Would he bring her down? No, they’d be just fine because they got a lyrical hip-hop routine. Of course they did. There could be nothing better suited to Cyrus, but I guess I can’t complain because Chehon got a wheelhouse routine, too.
The story was about a young couple that breaks up and makes up once a week (how creative!). Cyrus was okay, but once again, what really amazed me about this number was how seamlessly Tiffany shifted from the paso doble to hip-hop—and how perfect she was in both routines. She really outshined Cyrus, which is difficult to do in a hip-hop routine; she really is so natural and has so much rhythm, whereas Cyrus seemed a bit behind the beat, and his “acting” was a little garish.
Nigel began by congratulating both Tiffany and Cyrus for avoiding the bottom three for the entirety of the competition. Yay. Then, he gave Cyrus credit for being able to memorize the choreography. That’s kind of like giving an Idol contestant props for remembering the words, no? Mary said they both killed it, and that Cyrus continues to get stronger and stronger every week (‘kay). Rob said both Cyrus and Tiffany had abandon, which he loved, and their routine was his favorite of the night.
Eliana’s final solo of the competition was up next, and of course, it was classical because that is where she excels. But it didn’t disappoint. Like Tiffany, Eliana has the ability to be so delicate in a routine like this, and yet she becomes a completely different person in a hip-hop routine, or in a jazz routine, or in a Broadway routine. And plus, she has to be one of the most likeable contestants in the history of this show.
For his all-star routine, Chehon paired up with Allison for a contemporary number about a guy who lets go of his girl because he wants her to pursue her dreams. These concepts are just so groundbreaking. But all corniness aside, this was once again an excellent routine for Chehon (and one that required him to have a completely unbuttoned shirt, naturally).
These choreographers are so, so good at creating these classical routines that really allow Chehon to show off. He’s such a strong partner, but he’s also so technically impressive on his own. He did a one-handed lift in this routine. Hello. He can do so much that Cyrus cannot that it would be such a robbery if he lost.
Also, just for the record, the acting in this routine was excellent. That’s not always Chehon’s strong suit, but on Tuesday, he brought it. Like Tiffany, it’s so easy to see how much he’s grown throughout his competition, and he deserves mad props for that.
Mary said Chehon was loose and free throughout the number, maybe for the first time all season. Rob was impressed with the height Chehon managed to get, and he told Allison she was “fierce.” Nigel spent a little too much time lauding the praise on Allison’s acting skills, but he did add that Chehon came alive in this partnership. He said that in the past, Chehon has had a hard time showing emotion; I choose to blame that on his robot of a partner who got sent home last week.
Next up, it was time for Tiff and Eliana to do a Broadway burlesque number. I love it when the ladies dance together! I miss this. One of my favorite performances from this whole season was from the first top 20 show, when Tiffany and Audrey did a contemporary number together.
These two ladies are so great. They have so much personality, and when they dance together, they really just set the place on fire. The routine and the track were so perfect for them, too – “When You’re Good to Mama” from Chicago – and it really made me wish they didn’t save stuff like this for the finale.
It also made very eager to see what was in store for us when Chehon and Cyrus paired up.
Before that, though, it was time for Cyrus’ solo. I love watching him dance, but each week, it doesn’t seem like we see anything new from him. I feel like I’ve seen him do the same exact solo for four or five straight weeks—and it’s a great solo, because I love animation and I love hip-hop, but reality shows like this favor contestants who truly grow throughout the competition. At least, they’re supposed to.
But in the alternate universe of So You Think You Can Dance, this solo got a standing ovation. Naturally.
Tiffany’s solo was just as good as Eliana’s (and the track was “I Believe” by Fantasia! Holler). It really is going to be such a tough call between these two ladies. Once again, it was fascinating to see Tiffany go from the paso doble to grungy hip hop to classical, and she was so fluid and so natural in each. This one even had just enough of a Disney princess vibe to give me chills.
Next, Chehon and Cyrus performed a warrior routine about the challenges they’ve conquered in their SYTYCD journey. Sonya was the perfect choreographer for this. She forced Cyrus to step his game up so that he didn’t look like a fool dancing next to Chehon.
And somehow, against all odds, he didn’t look like a fool. Sonya had them doing lifts with each other, and karate-kicking each other, and throwing each other across the floor … It was intense. I’m not going to lie and say it wasn’t totally obvious that Chehon is much more capable and versatile than Cyrus – there were several little solo moments for Chehon, during which Cyrus pretty much just stood there and, like, crouched – but the fact that this wasn’t a train wreck kind of amazed me. So, props to Sonya for that.
Nigel, too, credited Sonya with helping the guys up the ante. He then rambled on for about 90 seconds about how much of an inspiration Cyrus is and called him his favorite person on this show and somehow avoided talking about his dancing at all. Nigel then told Chehon that he was his favorite dancer of the night. Not that it matters.
Mary commended the guys for fighting as hard as they could along this journey, and Rob complimented their camaraderie and selflessness with each other.
Chehon wore a shirt for his final solo, which began with him reading a letter, throwing it to the ground and then pacing backwards in slow motion. He’s so good. He’s not quite as versatile as either of the ladies – he still struggles with Latin styles and, naturally, with hip hop – but I find his technical skills so impressive that it doesn’t necessarily bother me that he can be a bit limited.
Eliana’s fifth and final routine with all-star Alex Wong was choreographed by Travis, and as expected, it was one of the toughest of the night. There was a lot of movement, a lot of lifts, a lot of choreography that required absolutely perfect lines and perfect extension. And to nobody’s surprise, Eliana saved her best for last. She was so assertive when she needed to be, and yet when the choreography called for Alex to literally drag her around the stage, she immediately switched modes. She makes something so difficult look so, so easy.
Rob told Eliana there’s nothing she can’t do and that the routine was poetry. Nigel said it was unquestionably his favorite routine of the night, and then he dropped a huge bomb by telling Eliana she is his favorite dancer ever, in the history of this show. I think he may have just solidified the win for her. Mary said Eliana’s feet and ankles were extraordinary and that she oozes passion.
For her personal finale, Tiffany teamed up with Chehon for a rumba. “It has to be so hot, the audience has to be uncomfortable,” the choreographer told us. This would be interesting for Chehon, who has been notoriously incapable of connecting with his partners in the past.
I just adore Tiffany. She’s so graceful and she, like Eliana, really does make everything look so easy. Chehon was good, too, but he was more of Tiffany’s partner in this routine than a competitor. He did prove his worth, though, with one spectacular lift mid-routine –he really is such a good partner – and while I wouldn’t say that the chemistry between these two was off the charts, I thought they were very sweet.
Mary said that Chehon has struggled with the Latin styles, but not with the rumba—this allowed him to be masculine and controlling. She did, however, say that the chemistry wasn’t really all there. Rob actually did feel that there was a connection between these two, which he found “sexy.” Nigel said that he was glad the accounting department finally found room in the budget to buy a shirt for Chehon, but unfortunately, they still didn’t have sufficient funds for buttons.
So. Just in case the producers weren’t being clear enough with their favoritism. Guess which all-star Cyrus got to perform with for his final number? Twitch. Guess which style they performed? Animation.
Seriously.
(Oh, and by the way, he always, always, always gets to perform near or at the end of the show.)
Of course, this routine was going to be spectacular. How could it not be? People have been saying Cyrus is this show’s next Twitch since Week 1, and watching them perform together was special. Christopher Scott choreographed the show’s FIRST EVER ANIMATION ROUTINE (as Cat reminded us no fewer than 400 times), about two guys who have been genetically altered and are experiencing their new bodies for the first time. I have to give him snaps for creativity; this was a new one.
This really was one of the best routines of the entire season. Cyrus excels at this (if only at this), and it was so cool to watch he and Twitch perform together, so perfectly in sync with each other. They were like robots. If you haven’t YouTubed it yet, do yourself a favor. This routine probably won Cyrus the competition. And if the routine didn’t, he and Twitch concluded the number with an adorably ecstatic man hug.
Once the applause died down – which honestly took about two minutes – Rob told Twitch and Cyrus they are two superstars. Mary could barely speak but managed to say that they stole the show. Nigel told them they are both “world class.”
And then things got weird.
Nigel said he loves Cyrus and has supported him all season, but that he wouldn’t be voting for him on Tuesday. The entire audience definitely thought it was a joke. Everyone thought Nigel was going to follow that up that statement with something Cowell-esque along the lines of, “… I’m going to vote for you a MILLION times tonight!” But instead, he embarked on a rambling explanation for why he would choose to support Chehon instead. He was serious.
To be totally honest, I wondered if this was a ploy to get sympathy votes for Cyrus. It was that bizarre.
I cannot even describe to you the death glare Cyrus gave him during this diatribe. Suffice to say, it was amazing.
And on that very odd note, whom are you voting for? Is Nigel right—does Chehon deserve it more because he’s allegedly worked longer and harder for it (or something)? Which lady will take the crown?
Hope you voted!
[Image Credit: FOX]
More: So You Think You Can Dance Recap: Finally, the Contestants Dance to Win! So You Think You Can Dance Recap: Judges’ Pet Lives to See Another Day So You Think You Can Dance Recap: Mia Michaels Redux

Last week, we endured the only shock-elimination of the season thus far. How would those vying for the titles of America’s Next Favorite Male and Female Dancers respond?
Ladies and gentlemen: This. Is So You Think You Can Dance.
Okay, so that was my best Ryan Seacrest.
This week’s show opened with a very strange number that featured Tyce Diorio for some unknown reason, and featured the dancers in sailors’ costumes, army costumes and a variety of other costumes that made little to no cohesive sense. Turns out, it was a tribute to Gene KellyCK, and Tyce was filling in for an injured Cole. This. Is So You Think You Can Dance.
It was almost as entertaining as the ad we saw for a movie called Oogieloves, which is rated G and yet boasts “Starships” by Nicki Minaj as its theme song.
Last week, we said goodbye to Amelia and Janelle, plus Matthew and Dareian (cue tears). That left us with just five – five! – pairs of dancers, and by the end of the episode, there would be a mere four. The finale is just three weeks away! Dun dun dun.
This week’s guest judge: Choreographer of Black Swan, Mr. Natalie Portman! Whaaaat? For serious, Benjamin Millepied finally gave us a relevant guest judge who had pertinent things to say. Man … they were pulling out all the stops this week.
Starting with—wait. Tiffany and Brandon? Oh, the top 10 teamed up with All-Stars for this episode! That would have been helpful to know ahead of time. And just to clear up the confusion that afflicted me the entirety of this routine, this is not the same Brandon that was eliminated earlier this season.
And Tiff didn’t do anything to help my confusion by dressing like J.Lo in a semi-sheer bodysuit and performing to Cobra Starship. Though releasing her inner J.Lo did allow her to show us a new, smoldering side of herself, her number (both the one she was wearing, and the one she was dancing) was unpleasantly seizure-inducing. Still, I had to hand it to her for bringing the energy. She has a future as a pop star’s backup dancer—and isn’t that the Holy Grail for the graduates of this show?
Nigel was excited that Tiffany was able to wear a castoff from Adam Shankman’s closet, and added that she brought the requisite amount of energy and excitement. Benji said they were a great pair, and he was also suitably impressed by their energy.
Personally, I worry that going first this week will be enough to banish Tiffany to SYTYCD purgatory next week.
Next up, Witney teamed up with Season 1 champ Nick Lazzarini to perform as ghosts in an abandoned lounge. Travis earnestly told the cameras that he choreographed the routine to enable our 18-year-old lady to be as sexy as possible. ‘Kay.
Wit cast off her inner ballroom dancer with gusto, alternating between partnering with Nick and her microphone stand. Admittedly, though, these two were so in rhythm—with the music, with each other—and the choreography was tailored so perfectly to each of them, that it was hard to believe they’d never danced together before. And as we’d learn throughout the duration of this episode: Chemistry was not something to be taken for granted.
My only complaint was that both Witney and Nick were inexplicably slathered in black makeup—on her lips, around his eyes—in a manner that made it seem as though they did their makeup in the dark.
Ben Portman started us off by telling Witney and Nick they did an excellent job seizing and then releasing the tension. Nigel told Witney she was even sexy while she was breathing, then added a “young lady” to make it sound less creepy. It didn’t work.
Mary: “Lord have mercy, you were smooooldering out there!”
To Witney’s credit, I’ll admit that although she’s never been my favorite, she’s been improving every single week. She’s not going anywhere any time soon. (Spoiler alert!...)
Cole and Anya took on the cha-cha next—and Cole’s mysterious injury, which we learned about during the intro, went mysteriously unmentioned. He tried to distract us from said injury by emerging onto the stage with his shirt fully unbuttoned. And then he and Anya cha-chaed to The Wanted, which was a strange marriage I’m not sure I ever wanted to see. Kind of like the marriage of Anya and Cole, who didn’t seem to have any chemistry at all.
It felt like both of them were just so focused on hitting the choreography and hitting their marks that they weren’t all too concerned with connecting with each another. And it didn’t seem like they were hitting all of their marks, either. Just saying.
Mary said the routine was amazing, then reminded us that Anya was the first-ever recipient of the Hot Tamale Train phrase. There was no need to remind me of that. I now hate Anya by association. In a more lucid moment, though, she pointed out that Cole’s footwork was off, and the connection between the two dancers was nonexistent.
Benny thought Cole was very engaging, but that his movement quality was just a tad off; he needed to think more about contrast. Nigel agreed with Mary: Normally, Cole has fantastic lines, but not this time. He was mugging for the audience too much, and his chemistry with his partner suffered, as a result.
For me for Cole, this was a big dropoff from last week, when he was so sinister and so creepy and put forth one of his best performances of the season. This week? A big old disappointment. I wonder why nobody tried to blame it on his phantom injury.
Lindsay, who just barely escaped the guillotine last week, paired up with Jacob to take on a Spencer Liff-masterminded Broadway routine. Here’s the catch: Jacob was behind a screen and was supposed to be Lindsay’s shadow, so above all, both of them had to be perfectly in perfect unison. Tricky, tricky.
Maybe I’m easily impressed, but I thought this little number was pretty spectacular. These two had more chemistry than Cole and Anya, and they couldn’t even see each other for most of the routine. Lindsay also seemed to be far more confident this week than I’ve ever seen her. I don’t know what it was; maybe she and Cole are just a bad pair. She really did flourish with Jacob; being forced to mimic his extension and lines—he was supposed to be her shadow, after all—really helped her thrive.
Nigel had to start off by pointing out Jacob’s magnificent feet (hope you’re not watching, Dareian), but he admitted that Lindsay was equally magnificent. Mary put Lindsay on the Hot Tamale Train, and Ben thought the lady executed the choreography perfectly and emphasized its natural crescendo.
Next up: How would Will fare without his personal quirky girl, Amelia? Just fine, apparently. He and Step Up: Revolution star Kathryn McCormick took on a Bollywood routine about a snake charmer trying to charm a snake-girl. ‘Kay. In the pre-routine package, Will called Kathryn the sexiest snake he’s ever seen and was excited to be all sensual and stuff with her.
The only criticism I have of this routine was that it revolved too heavily around Kathryn. She’s not the one who needs votes, y’all, and Will literally spent the first 20 seconds of this number prancing around in circles with a flute while she writhed in her snake cage. After that, though, things picked up. Again, Will displayed his unfortunate tendency to mug rather than let his dancing do the talking, but he was a really strong partner to Kathryn. Maybe his true strength is just that he’s a good partner, no matter whom he’s with.
Mary called Will an Energizer Bunny—but one with amazing control. Benny eyed Will suspiciously and then, in a dead monotone, told him he possesses a charming, unique style. Nigel told Will he struggles between wanting to tell Will to tone it down and wanting to tell himself to shut up. He’s right, though; Will does go overboard in a kind of obnoxious way sometimes, but he’s so darn likeable that you can’t really fault him.
Cyrus, paired with Jamie, was saddled with a routine that was, as Simon Cowell would put it, overindulgent and based upon the movie 2012. And by that I mean, based on the end of the world. A revolutionary concept! No matter the theme, though, this was bound to be a tough one for Cyrus to pull off; he’s always had trouble with anything outside of hip hop and animation, and for him, contemporary is always a big stretch.
Lucky for him, this routine seemed to be so centered on Jamie that it helped Cyrus disguise his weaknesses and shortcomings. I like Cyrus, so it didn’t really bother me, but he really just flat-out struggles when he’s not in his wheelhouse, and this show is all about pushing dancers beyond their comfort zones and finding out who’s excellent under pressure. There was one point where Cyrus leapt away from Jamie, and his extension was embarrassingly bad. Also, I didn’t really get “end of the world” from this rubbish.
Ben said he appreciated Cyrus’ raw energy and his ability to partner, thereby establishing that he had no plans to say anything critical of any dancer. Nigel, meanwhile, seems committed to overlooking the fact that Cyrus badly, badly struggles outside of hip hop and animation. Yes, he is passionate, and that’s admirable, but right now, he’s coasting on the fact that he’s a fan favorite. Even Mary said, “The feet, the legs, not the best right now”—but she reveled in his passion and his emotion.
To that, I say: WHY is The Exorcist not in the top 10. ANSWER ME THAT.
Next, ballet specialist Chehon took on hip hop for the first time with Season 3’s Lauren. This routine was based on Save The Last Dance. Or, “on two best friends who love to dance together.” Same difference.
The track was Maxwell. Blatantly Save the Last Dance.
I think the choreography may have even been borrowed from the movie (kidding), but really, I love Chehon and I’m glad he could pull this off. There is nobody remaining in this competition with better lines and better extension, and no, this wasn’t his best performance, but he can do smoldering! He can do sexy! He can do hip hop! Pick up the phone, people.
Nigel commended the choreographer for taking that stick … out of Chehon. (Nigel’s words, not mine.) He added that Chehon is too trained, but he’s finally starting to give himself into the music. (HELLO. He’s even stealing the Save the Last Dance SCRIPT.)
Benny sympathized with the fact that Chehon has dedicated his life to perfecting his technique, and he still felt the routine was spontaneous and exciting.
Next up, George—getting a break from Tiffany in order to join Allison for a Tyce-choreographed jazz routine—played a guy in Paris who risks missing a train because of a female distraction. A “raunchy night in Paris” then ensues. Oh, Tyce.
George is great, and so is Allison. They’re very similar in terms of style and demeanor, so this was a great pairing. His technique is spot-on, and he has some personality, but still, it was obvious that he wasn’t going to last much longer. Also, this track sounded like it came off The Jungle Book’s soundtrack. Not kidding.
Here’s the problem: George’s mechanics are spot-on and he’s clearly passionate, but it still feels like something’s missing when he’s dancing. That’s never a good sign. It’s like when a football team seems like it’s dominating, but it still is somehow losing. That always means a downfall is in store.
Mary was a big fan of George’s technique, and Ben agreed that he’s an amazing mover and communicator. He may have even thrown out the word “exceptional.”
Of course, Nigel had to rain on the parade a little: He, like everyone else, feels that George’s technique leaves nothing to be desired, but his character was just not believable at all. To Nigel, George was merely dancing and just didn’t get down. Sigh. The final dagger: “Allison wouldn’t have believed this was a raunchy night. Not with you.”
Eliana delivered the penultimate routine, partnering with All-Star Alex for a nice little number about an on-again, off-again couple that can’t just let go. Now this—this was a great partnership. Eliana can partner with anyone because she’s so talented and is very clearly willing to give herself over to her partner in order to make both of them look as good as possible. Unselfishness is not something we see a lot of in female dancers, and it takes a lot of confidence to be like her.
Hey, America: If you want someone who is believable in every character she plays, is excellent in every style she takes on and is mechanically perfect, this is your winner.
Nigel thinks so, too. He flat-out admitted that Eliana is proving to be his favorite girl this year. Hey, he’s here to judge, and that’s what he’s doing—and he’s chosen one of the very few ladies this season who is undeniably likeable. Wise choice. Mary called Eliana “delicious,” and Ben thought she had it all: passion and technique.
Those crafty producers then tried to save the best for last: Audrey, paired with … Twitch! WOO! As Aldous Snow would say, what an eccentric and confident young man!
There could not be a more random and strange pairing than this one, and honestly, it didn’t work as well as I wanted it to. Maybe it was the fact that theirs was a routine based on “a 400-year-old couple that loves to hate each other,” as choreographer Dave Scott explained. And by that, he clearly meant a routine based on True Blood. These two came out of a coffin to begin their routine.
As I feared, this routine starred Twitch a bit more than Audrey (and how could it not?), and Audrey seemed to get tripped up by her own insistence that she can’t do hip hop. The problem, though, isn’t that she can’t to hip hop; it’s that she isn’t Twitch, and there was no better way to emphasize that fact than by putting them side by side. It was the visual equivalent of any Glee duet featuring Lea Michele and Dianna Agron. One of these was not like the other.
Ben (of course) thought Audrey did very, very well, but it was unfair for her to have to dance with Twitch. Mary still felt that Audrey was engaging (what a generous lie), but Nigel wanted her to be more “Helena Bonham Carter in a Tim Burton movie,” and after that I stopped listening because I was thinking about how much better this routine would have been if Eliana had been Twitch’s partner. Sorry, Aud.
And then: Elimination time! Dim the lights.
Your Bottom Two Ladies:
Witney
Audrey
Your Bottom Three Dudes:
Chehon
George
My reaction to the ladies: Noooo! Mostly because I knew that this signaled Audrey’s demise. Nigel can insist all he wants that Eliana is his fave; we know it’s a lie.
My reaction to the dudes: Noooo!
Based on this week’s episode, Audrey deserved to be the one going home, as much as it pains me to say it. When you think about the fact that Witney has improved every week, it was impossible to believe the judges would send her home.
As far as the guys … George has been in the bottom for two straight weeks. That should lead to an insta-elimination. And I’m not just saying that because of Chehon’s abs.
The solos just affirmed what I already knew. Witney wore red and did a strip tease with her clothes on, complete with the requisite hairography. Meanwhile, Audrey chose to perform to one of my favorite songs ever (“And I Am Telling You”), just like my most recent favorite reality show contestant—right before getting the ax.
Chehon took off his shirt and balleted his way into another week of precious life. Meanwhile, George—whose facial expression was ridden with expletives from the moment Cat banished him to the bottom two—also took off his shirt and even attempted a back flip to save himself.
To no one’s surprise, Audrey was sent packing. Nigel tried to make it more palatable by saying that the decision wasn’t unanimous. I’m sorry; I’ll I heard was him calling Witney a sexy breather. Vom.
Nigel then stumbled through some convoluted explanation for keeping Chehon and sending home George; a simple, “We are allowing Witney to keep her partner” would have sufficed. Thank you, and goodnight.
So what did you think? Do you also believe that SYTYCD should be forced to ascribe to the unwritten rules of Project Runway, which state that if you’ve been in the bottom two before, you must be sent home before a first-time bottom-dweller? Or were you okay with this week’s eliminations?
[Photo Credit: Adam Rose]
MORE:
'So You Think You Can Dance' Recap: Mia Michaels Redux
'So You Think You Can Dance' Recap: Top 16 Perform
'SYTYCD' Recap: A Striptease, A Proposal, and Four Goodbyes

So, raise your hand if, during the entirety of the Olympics floor exercise finals, you kept comparing the Jordyn Wiebers and the Aly Raismans to our favorite contestants from this season of So You Think You Can Dance.
Fair? Not at all. There is no basis of comparison. But I couldn’t help it. I watched them prance around on those floor mats and all I could think about was that I couldn’t wait until it was once again time to see the final 14 contenders for the title of America’s (New) Favorite Dancer(s).
Wednesday’s episode was a special one because it was the first-ever episode dedicated to celebrating the work of one choreographer: Mia Michaels, ladies and gentlemen. This season’s best dancers all performed the most iconic routines from the Mia Michaels arsenal over the last eight seasons.
And another four(!) would go home by the end of the episode. Talk about two full weeks to really let the pressure sink in.
Who would crack and who would thrive? You’ll be surprised. Trust.
In fact, Wednesday’s episode was just full of surprises. The Mia Michaels tribute, the four eliminations, and, best of all, special guest judges Michael Nunn and Billy Trevett, otherwise known as the Ballet Boyz.
After the top 14 performed for the first and final time—and treated us to a very gothic and kind of terrifying performance (dubbed by Nigel as “The Fifty Shades of Grey routine”), in which all of the female contenders spent the entirety swinging on chains suspended from the ceiling—Ileana and Cyrus started us off by taking on Season 4’s door routine, performed by Katie and Twitch.
During rehearsals, both of them had trouble with the intimacy factor, but they had no problem emulating the Season 4 standouts once the cameras were rolling on Wednesday. From the costumes—a tattered Guns ‘N Roses T-shirt for Ileana, a cigarette and a fedora for Cyrus—to the attitude and the purpose they each showed with each and every tidbit of choreography, the routine certainly lived up to the original.
As such, Ileana and Cyrus received a standing ovation, and though Nigel admitted it was tough to disassociate from the original, he thought Cyrus and Ileana brought enough of themselves to the routine in order to hold their own. Mary called Ileana “swaggerocious” (I kind of like it. Yes, I’m embarrassed), and Michael and Billy loved the way they built such an intense story around one prop.
Next up, George and Tiffany kept the momentum rolling in taking on Katie and Joshua’s Season 4 hometown routine, which included the infamous assisted run. While I don’t know if there was a pair who could’ve done this routine more justice than these two, it was immediately apparent that it was going to take some digging deep—emotionally—in order for them to replicate what Katie and Josh did.
And for the most part, they pulled it off. These two are so fundamentally sound, it was hard to believe they wouldn’t be able to contend with the choreography; it would be about whether or not they could connect, and they did. Oh, and their version of the running step was pretty good, too.
Mary said George and Tiffany “murdered” one of the best routines in this show’s history, but in a good way (there was definitely some confusion on my part), and added that Tiffany needs to be wary of over-performing. Michael agreed that Tiffany had a tendency to do too much and said that watching this routine was more like watching two simultaneous solos. Nigel said this was the best George has ever looked. There couldn’t have been a better time for him (spoiler alert!).
Judges’ favorites (and fan favorites) Will and Amelia were up next, looking to continue a run of momentum that’s seen them catapult to the top of the heap over the first couple of weeks of live shows. Their project was the Season 5 “butt dance,” an Emmy-award winner that couldn’t be suited more perfectly to Amelia’s style. And yet, she spent the entire pre-routine package faux-complaining about it. And talking about whether or not she has enough junk in the trunk to pull it off.
That was the least of her problems on Wednesday night. Hint, hint.
For me, Will was a bit too shticky, but I guess that’s what these two are all about, and that’s why the audience loves them. Usually, their routines are far more character-driven than choreography-driven, which was why this was the ideal Mia Michaels fit for them.
Nigel had a hard time critiquing this routine because the original was such a show-stopper, particularly because Randy was so memorable in Amelia’s role. He didn’t believe that either of Will or Amelia brought enough character to this routine (how is that even possible for these two?), but Mary liked it—though she agreed with me that Will went a little overboard. Billy, with no basis for comparison, thought they were endearing, whimsical and in-character—though “a little subtlety wouldn’t have gone amiss” at some points.
Janelle and Dareian were next up in the hot seat, wearing pajamas in order to perform Kherington and Twitch’s bed routine. It seems like this pair has been in danger of elimination each week, and I had a hard time believing they’d get out of this one alive. Alas, they gave it their best effort—especially Janelle, who informed Mia during rehearsals that she hasn’t spoken to her significant other in, like, three days. So this waking-up-with-a-broken-heart routine hit home for her.
Throughout this season, these two have had trouble connecting—with each other, with the audience, with the material. That was the refrain once again on Wednesday. Earlier in the night, Nigel talked about feeling like he was watching two dancers perform simultaneous solos, and that’s kind of what it’s like to watch these two. Like everyone else still standing in this competition, their mechanics are fine—they, as dancers, just don’t resonate with the audience. And especially with a routine like this, so much of it rides on the emotion.
In order to stay alive, it was clear that these two need to knock it out of the park. They missed. Big.
Michael loved the choreography, but he complained about Dameian’s feet and how they break his line (a refrain we’ve heard from Nigel all season long), and he said Janelle relied on too much hairography. Nigel felt some personality emanating from Dameian, but he said the routine didn’t give Janelle enough room to shine. It sounded strangely like a farewell to her. (Hmm …) To Mary, the emotion Kherington and Twitch brought to the routine was conspicuously missing, and when there was any emotion, it was overwrought.
Basically, the verdict was: If these two are in the bottom, they’re not getting saved.
Audrey and Matthew, the other two fan faves, took on Lacey and Neil’s Season 3 routine about the loss of Mia’s father and reconnecting with lost loved ones in heaven. Audrey felt a lot of pressure trying to recreate something that was so good—and so emotional—the first time around, and her fears wound up being warranted.
It’s no surprise that Mia entrusted these two with such a personal and heartwrenching routine; they’ve been able to pull off anything they’ve been handed this season, and they were close again this week. They really worked together—which is something we didn’t see a lot of in this week’s episode. Maybe it was the nature of the routine itself, but this felt like a true duet, and the emotion felt genuine—also a relief.
The judges, however, weren’t so impressed, and that would really hurt Matthew at episode’s end. Mary said they both brought dignity to the routine, but Matthew didn’t bring enough passion to the stage. Nigel said neither of them brought enough characterization to the routine, and they made it too much about the dancing and not enough about the emotion.
You have to believe that was an intentional choice, though—they didn’t want to overdo it, so they erred on the side of caution and backed off a little. In my eyes, that was the right choice. Better to be understated than vulgar.
Witney and Chehon—another likely pair of candidates to be in danger on Wednesday—took on the Emmy-award winning bench routine, originally performed by Heidi and Travis. Would America fall in love with these two the same way they once fell in love with Travis and Heidi? Let’s hope so, for the sake of Witney’s and Chehon’s chances of making the tour.
I’ve never felt like these two have been totally connected—due in part, I think, to Witney’s age—and I know Nigel loves this chick and will never say anything bad about her, but she is the prime example of someone who can’t seem to emote genuinely during a routine. This entire performance felt sleepy and almost lazy; it just didn’t feel like there was enough choreography to show off either of their strengths.
Naturally, Nigel disagreed wholeheartedly. This, he said, was a routine about storytelling (the story of Mia trying to give her heart to someone who couldn’t reciprocate because he was gay, according to Nigel), and it was one of his favorite of the night. Mary agreed—they both adequately told the story, but she would’ve liked to see Chehon loosen up a bit more. Michael told Chehon that he will forever have a job with the Ballet Boyz whenever he wants one.
Lindsay and Cole wrapped things up (doesn’t it always seem like these two either go first or last?) with the Season 5 addiction routine—which immediately concerned me because this is Lindsay. She’s so young! And peppy! I wasn’t worried about Cole—he’s one of my favorite guys left, and he’s also one of the most technically-skilled—but this was a big project for the two of them.
Unsurprisngly, Cole was perfect. His stoicism, the way he just tossed Lindsay around like she weighed nothing, his semi-psychotic emotion, which felt so raw… It was hard to even focus on Lindsay at all. Cole has probably been the strongest dancer this season in terms of characterization and mechanics.
But what was truly surprising was how well Lindsay held her own. She had the luxury of a terrific partner, but the choreography was executed perfectly, and her emotion didn’t seem forced. She was really, really good—and she needed to be. This would end up being her dance for her life.
Billy was suitably impressed with their versatility, and Mary—who called this Mia’s best routine—said Lindsay and Cole were the best of the night. She loved the “demented” twist Cole put on his character, and she was just as impressed with Lindsay. Nigel, who admitted he’d been disappointed all night, said these two came out on top, and that Cole “scared the [expletive]” out of him.
And then—judgment! Which dancers would make the tour, and who would miss out when they were oh so close?
The results, which Cat read to each dancer, one by one, for the first time this season:
Bottom 3 Guys
—George
—Dareian
—Matthew
Bottom 3 Girls
—Amelia
—Janelle
—Lindsay
Some surprises here, for sure. The biggest shocker? The judges would have to part with one of their darlings—Amelia or Lindsay—by the end of the show. One of them wouldn’t make the tour! That’s a result even I wouldn’t have predicted when this top 20 was chosen.
Oh, and there was no point in even seeing Janelle or Dareian dance solos because we all knew they would be on the first flights home, but Nigel opted to see all six bottom-dwellers perform for their lives.
First up, Amelia—who probably had the most to gain from her solo, since this is truly where she could show off her quirkiness—wasn’t as spectacular as she needed to be. She needed to be mindblowing, and her routine seemed sad and a bit lethargic.
Janelle had a nice farewell performance. She belly-danced. She smiled like a Cowboys cheerleader the whole time. It ended.
Lindsay was fine—again, not outrageously good—but I was fearful the judges would decide she was too similar to Witney and opt to keep Amelia. There’s nobody else in this competition like Amelia, and there’s at least one other Lindsay.
On to the boys: When George first auditioned, the judges raved that he was one of the best contemporary dancers they’d seen in a long time, and he worked it out in his solo. The choice would definitely come down to him and Matthew, whose lines were so clean and who’s flexibility was so astounding in his solo that it would be hard to believe the judges would let him go.
Dareian—also in his farewell tour—is so good that it makes me sad the judges give him so much grief about his feet and his lines all season. He gets such amazing height on his leaps and his jumps! He’s like a gymnast! He also danced to Josh Ledet’s version of “It’s a Man’s World,” which, you know, makes him the man.
The judges saved Lindsay—a big surprise to me, and seemingly to Amelia, who had been riding so high throughout this whole competition until crashing a bit until this episode. Nobody thought Janelle was going to win this (sorry, Janelle), but I have to think that even Amelia started buying into her own hype for a while. She had to at least believe she was going to make the tour.
Nigel and Friends also saved George, after telling Matthew that he needed to find some way to connect with the audience. So true, but yet so tragic. And poor Audrey! What will she do without her all-star partner? What will she be like with Will—objectively the worst fit for her, among all the remaining guys?
What a disaster this episode was! Two front-runners headed home in one episode. I need a nap.
Did the judges send home the right four? Who are you most excited to see on tour? And who did the most dishonor to Mia Michaels on Wednesday night?
[Photo Credit: FOX]
MORE:
'So You Think You Can Dance' Recap: Top 16 Perform
'SYTYCD' Recap: A Striptease, A Proposal, and Four Goodbyes
'So You Think You Can Dance' Recap: The Top 20 Tango

Watching reality show competitions are a little bit like falling in love. At first, the initial attraction is purely based on what you see, but as time goes on, you become more and more invested in the relationship, and do everything you can (be it voting or never-ending praying) to keep your all-time favorites in your life and on your TV screens. Whether it be American Idol, Dancing With the Stars, or So You Think You Can Dance, we've all loved and lost in one form or another. And now that SYTYCD is in the midst of its ninth season, we here at Hollywood.com thought it would be fun to check in on our past favorite dancing alums and see what they've been up to since leaving the show.
From earning law degrees to becoming full-out dance instructors, these former contestants have gone on to accomplish quite a bit since we last saw them. Here's what we were able to find out after a whole lot of stalking some very extensive research.
Fox
Name: Chelsie Hightower
Season: 4
Where She Is Now: Chelsie is currently a Dancing With the Stars professional. She choreographs all the dance routines for her celebrity dance partners, which have consisted of Jake Pavelka, Michael Bolton, and most recently, Roshon Fegan.
Fox
Name: Dmitry Chaplin
Season: 2
Where He Is Now: Dmitry went on to become a Dancing With the Stars professional who has been partnered with the singer Mya and supermodel Petra Nemcova. Though he hasn't participated as a permanent DWTS partner in the past few seasons, he continues to appear in guest performances throughout the show. He is also a member of the DWTS Live in Las Vegas cast that performs at the Tropicana Theater.
Fox
Name: Lacey Schwimmer
Season: 3
Where She Is Now: Lacey is also a regular dancer and former dance pro on Dancing With the Stars. Currently, Lacey is also a cast member of the DWTS Live in Las Vegas show, showing fan-favorite dances from past seasons.
Fox
Name: Kupono Aweau
Season: 5
Where He Is Now: Not only did Kupono dance alongside Madonna at the Super Bowl Halftime show this year, but he was also featured in her "Girls Gone Wild" music video. Currently, Kupono is traveling all over the world as a dance member in Madonna's MDNA Tour 2012.
Fox
Name: Kamilah Barrett
Season: 1
Where She Is Now: Kamilah has since created her very own dance style called Heel Hop, which she now goes around teaching to the world. Heel Hop is a dance style inspired by hip-hop, modern, salsa, and ballroom dance styles. Kamilah's Heel Hop is based in LA, but she is hosting classes in the DC Area this summer.
Next: See who has their own clothing line.
Fox
Name: Jordan Casanova
Season: 8
Where She Is Now: Jordan currently has a clothing line site called KARflash.com, which sells dancewear clothes at great prices for both dance groups and individuals, allowing her to add modeling into her growing repertoire. She also continues to pursue and fulfill her dream of dancing by taking classes and performing in several different dance events like participating on The Voice or Napa Valley's Broadway Playhouse production of Cabaret.
Fox
Name: Sandra Colton
Season: 1
Where She Is Now: Sandra is now the Editor-in-Chief at a publishing company called Dance Track Magazine. She's also released a book called BOOK ME! which is about how to become a successful working dancer in Hollywood.
Fox
Name: Faina Savich
Season: 3
Where She Is Now: Faina is currently a Judicial Intern at the New York State Supreme Court and is expected to graduate from Fordham Law School in 2014. However, she still makes sure to keep dancing in her life and is a dance instructor at Arthur Murray Dance Center. She is also a regular dancer at McDonald Selznick Associates.
Fox
Name: Ashlé Dawson
Season: 1
Where She Is Now: Ashlé is now working in New York City as a guest faculty member at the well-known Broadway Dance Center — New York's most prestigious dance school. She is also the proud director of "Ashlé &amp; Co.", a pre-professional dance company based in New Jersey.
Fox
Name: Courtney Galiano
Season: 4
Where She Is Now: Courtney revealed in April of this year that she's been diagnosed with MS, however she continues to dance professionally even to this day and has participated in a few episodes of Glee. She will also be shown in Stand Up Guys starring Al Pacino and Christopher Walken in 2013. Since her diagnosis, Courtney has funneled a portion of the registration fees for her dance workshop "The Beat" into a foundation that she and her brother have created called "Beat MS."
Fox
Name: Mark Kanemura
Season: 4
Where He Is Now: Mark is now one of Lady Gaga's professional male back up dancers. He is currently touring with the superstar singer on her Born This Way Ball tour. Let's all take a moment to be jealous.
Fox
Names: Evan Kasprzak, Thayne Jasperson, Jess LeProtto, and Alex Wong
Seasons: 5, 4, 8, and 7
Where The Are Now: Though these four former contestants were from completely different seasons on the show, they're all currently working together as part of the ensemble for the new Broadway musical Newsies, which also happened to win several Tony Awards this year. So, in a way, I guess you could say they're all Tony Award-winners now. Not a bad thing to be able to add onto their already impressive resumes.
Fox
Name: Melissa Sandvig
Season: 5
Where She Is Now: Melissa is currently a freelance dancer, performing with companies such as the Sacramento Ballet, the Helios Dance Theater, and the Los Angeles Chamber Ballet. She is also a certified Pilates instructor and a ballet teacher at the Long Beach Ballet. And if that wasn't enough on her plate already, Melissa additionally goes on tour with the Hollywood Vibe Dance Convention as a ballet teacher.
Fox
Name: Benji Schwimmer
Season: 2
Where He Is Now: Benji, brother of DWTS pro and former SYTYCD contestant Lacey Schwimmer, is the founder of his band called "The Weekend Forecast" who have an album out on iTunes called "Sun, Doubt &amp; Scenic Routes." He also continues to be a dancer and choreographer in his spare time.
Name: Victor Smalley
Season: 6
Where He Is Now: Victor is now one of the main dance instructors on the popular reality show Dance Moms Miami, which goes behind the scenes at the Miami-based Stars Dance Studio.
Next: Find out who's having a Wicked good time.
Fox
Name: Ben Susak
Season: 2
Where He Is Now: Since his time in the spotlight on So You Think You Can Dance, Ben has set his sights to the Broadway theater and currently plays the character Chistery in the San Diego production of Wicked: The Musical.
Fox
Name: Will Wingfield
Season: 4
Where He Is Now: Will is now the President of a creative and artistic design company called The Mete Fizikel, which specializes in Dance 4 Film, Theater, Live Stage Performance, TV Commercial Work, and Artistic Development.
Fox
Name: Alexie Agdeppa
Season: 7
Where She Is Now: Currently, Alexie is traveling all over the United States, teaching on dance conventions and offering master classes at private studios and events including Dance RAW and Showstoppers Dance Convention. She also teaches Jazz, Ballet, Contemporary-modern, Jazz Funk, and Hip-hop at Dellos Dance and Performing Arts Academy. Aside from teaching, Alexie continues to audition and book dance/acting jobs while taking a master class at the Howard Fine Acting Studio.
Fox
Name: Jamie Bayard
Season: 4
Where He Is Now: Though he continues to be a dance coach and performer, Jamie is also an International Dance Department Professor at Orange County High School of the Arts. Additionally, Jamie offers coaching for dancers of all levels at a dance company called JB Dance.
Fox
Name: Billy Bell
Season: 7
Where He Is Now: Billy is a member and founder of the Lunge Dance Collective — a project-based dance company that was created to expose young artists to each other and create a stronger network for them to help start their careers.
FOX
Name: Ryan "Ryanimay" Conferido
Season: 1
Where He Is Now: Ryan is a member of the dance group Quest Crew. He was also recently part of LMFAO's "Party Rock Anthem," "Champagne Showers," and "Sexy And I Know It." But Ryan's talents extend further than just dancing — he's also an amateur hairstylist. In fact, the crew has coined him the official hair designer of the group as he often cuts and styles all of their hair.
Fox
Name: Hokuto "Hok" Konishi
Season: 3
Where He Is Now: Along with Ryan, Hok is also a lead member of the dance troupe Quest Crew, who won the third season of America's Best Dance Crew.
Fox
Names: Ashleigh Di Lello and Ryan Di Lello
Season: 6
Where They Are Now: Married dance couple Ashleigh and Ryan are currently exceptional choreographers whose routines have been used by Dancing With the Stars, So You Think You Can Dance, and several other professional dance/theater companies from all over. Though Ashleigh is currently recovering from hip surgery, Ryan was recently in What To Expect When You're Expecting and is currently dancing in DWTS Live in Las Vegas. They remain happily married even to this day.
Fox
Name: Natalie Fotopoulos
Season: 2
Where She Is Now: Much like many other SYTYCD contestants, Natalie has opted to turn her attention toward theater and is currently a member of the cast of the Broadway Musical "Wicked" on their U.S. Tour.
Name: Allan Frias
Season: 1
Where He Is Now: Allan is currently a Hip Hop teacher at the Dance Mission Theater, which just so happens to be the home of his group Mind Over Matter that performs all over the Bay Area. Allan also directs the Junior Jam youth performance program at the Golden State Warriors.
Next: See who performed in the on-screen adaption of Rock of Ages.Fox
Name: Susie Garcia
Season: 4
Where She Is Now: Besides continuing to dance for live audiences, Susie has also managed to dabble in film, including the major motion picture production of Rock of Ages, where she plays one of the dancers. Additionally, she is the owner of the Show Stopper Dance Studio.
Fox
Name: Jason Glover
Season: 5
Where He Is Now: Preferring to keep his dance talents mostly in the theater realm, Jason is now currently a member of the Festival Ballet Theatre company.
Fox
Name: Neil Haskell
Season: 3
Where He Is Now: Neil has most recently been on a United States tour as a cast member of Bring It On: The Musical, a production inspired by the Kirsten Dunst comedy of the same name.
Fox
Name: Donyelle Jones
Season: 2
Where She Is Now: Donyelle continues to keep dance and music a part of her every day life by teaching hip hop classes at the EDGE Performing Arts Center in Hollywood.
Fox
Name: Kourtni Lind
Season: 4
Where She Is Now: Like many other former So You Think You Can Dance contestants, Kourtni has decided to take her dance talents to the Great White Way and is currently an ensemble member of Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark.
Fox
Names: Nick Lazzarini and Travis Wall
Seasons: 1 and 2
Where They Are Now: Nick and Travis both belong to a contemporary dance company called Shaping Sound, which Travis himself created. They, along with 24 other talented dancers, have put on two very successful shows in L.A. and are also stars of the Oxygen network's All the Right Moves, — a reality docu-series premiering this summer that follows Nick, Travis, and others as they launch the company and live together in Hollywood.
Fox
Name: Sasha Mallory
Season: 8
Where She Is Now: Sasha's incredible dance moves eventually caught the eye of none other than the Queen of Pop herself: Madonna, who nabbed Sasha as one of her very own back up dancers. Sasha has also previously danced for the likes of Adam Lambert and Rihanna.
Fox
Name: Janette Manrara
Season: 5
Where She Is Now: Janette has been keeping herself very busy with her professional dancing career and is currently touring in Sydney Australia with the ballroom dancing extravaganza team called Burn the Floor.
Fox
Name: Ashlee Nino
Season: 2
Where She Is Now: Ashlee just got back from a South America tour with Selena Gomez and is also the newest member of the all girl Romones Tribute Band called "The Ramonas."
Fox
Name: Ricky Palomino
Season: 3
Where He Is Now: Ricky has made it his mission to pass on his knowledge and joy of a dance to others and is now the Artistic Director at the Poetry In Motion Dance Company in Minneapolis, Minn. It's a professional, youth and adult training facility designed to help dancers make their way into the professional dance industry.
Fox
Name: Kherington Payne
Season: 4
Where She Is Now: Kherington is currently participating in Cabaret at the Napa Valley Opera House. She is also involved in the interactive web series called Dance Showdown, in which famous YouTube personalities are paired together with professional dancers to compete against other teams. Kherington made her film debut in 2009, playing Alice Ellerton in the reinvention of Fame.
Follow Kelly on Twitter @KellyBean0415
SYTYCD Alum